Planned Parenthood Shakes Down Komen Foundation

By Bob Laird

Planned Parenthood (PP) showed its Mafia-style operations by shaking down the Komen Foundation, causing Komen to apologize for

"?deeply unsettling? our supporters, partners and friends. We have been distressed at the presumption that the changes made to our funding criteria were done for political reasons or to specifically penalize Planned Parenthood. They were not."

PP unleashed its wrath on the preeminent breast cancer-fighting organization in the world when Komen established new criteria for grants that restricted them from going to organizations under criminal and legislative investigations or to organizations that do not have the capability to treat patients in-house (ending what are known as "pass-throughs"). PP is under criminal investigation in several jurisdictions and under investigation by the U.S. House of Representatives and several state legislatures for illegally funneling money to their abortion business, and will not qualify for future grants under these criteria.

It is clear that PP will go to any means to continue its drive to become the Obama Administration's Community Health partner by allegedly providing breast cancer screenings and treatment when its real business is abortion.

PP is all about abortion. Look at the mission statement of the national organization!

Planned Parenthood believes in the fundamental right of each individual, throughout the world, to manage his or her fertility, regardless of the individual's income, marital status, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, or residence. We believe that respect and value for diversity in all aspects of our organization are essential to our well-being. We believe that reproductive self-determination must be voluntary and preserve the individual's right to privacy. We further believe that such self-determination will contribute to an enhancement of the quality of life and strong family relationships.

Based on these beliefs, and reflecting the diverse communities within which we operate, the mission of Planned Parenthood is

to provide comprehensive reproductive and complementary health care services in settings which preserve and protect the essential privacy and rights of each individual to advocate public policies which guarantee these rights and ensure access to such services to provide educational programs which enhance understanding of individual and societal implications of human sexuality to promote research and the advancement of technology in reproductive health care and encourage understanding of their inherent bioethical, behavioral, and social implications (Emphasis added.)

The Virginia League for Planned Parenthood is no different. Breast cancer screenings and treatments are also missing from its mission statement:

Our mission is to ensure that individuals and families have the freedom, information, and ability to make their own informed reproductive choices. We believe that each individual has a basic right to control his/her reproductive life. Individual control will lead to a better quality of life and stronger families and communities. Reproductive health decisions must be voluntary and private. (Emphasis added.)

Let us make no mistake about it. Planned Parenthood is in the business of abortion. Its mission statements say so! Komen will now need to reassess its commitment to PP. Does it want to be linked with the abortion industry and the subsequent cancers that are created by abortion, or is it going to change course, take the moral high road and truly help women with breast cancer? Only time will tell!

Bob Laird is the President of the Cabrini Center for Catholic Health Care.